SPRINGFIELD — The State Board of Education is announcing a series of public hearings as it re-examines school funding in Illinois.

The first hearing will be held in Carbondale on Oct. 23. It will be followed by others in Macomb, Champaign, Grayslake and Chicago.

Hearing participants will be asked to detail the value of the programs and services they feel are vital to education in Illinois.

The board will factor participants' feedback into the yearly education budget it submits to Gov. Pat Quinn and the Legislature. Testimony is also being shared with the Senate Education Funding Committee. The group of lawmakers is working to study how the current method of funding to school district can be more equitable.

The board generally recommends an education budget in January. Lawmakers set the final budget.